The part-time Jupiter resident divides his time between Dallas, Pennsylvania  where he owns ProShot Basketball Camp that has helped thousands  and his one-on-one training of basketball players in Jupiter.

According to parents whose children are individually coached by Szela, his basketball coaching attributes go beyond basketball lessons.

“My son James has fun, he learns and John instills confidence in James that will help him become a champion human being, not just a one-dimensional basketball player,” said Terry McDowell, who has been a professional golfer and teacher himself.

James, who is almost 13, has been coached by Szela since he was in third grade.

“John shows the kids that they have to work at it, at the practicing and doing things the right way. Plus, with kids, when they do well, they feel better about themselves. The past quarter, James made the honor roll at All Saints School.” McDowell said.

Nick DeRosa, whose daughter Isabella, 15, is a sophomore at The Benjamin School, said his daughter has been working with Szela for three years.

“We recognized Isabella had some skills and abilities, and she wanted to improve to play at the high school level,” DeRosa said. “We had Coach Szela for group training, and I liked the way he coached and his demeanor.

“Isabella has been working with the coach for three years, DeRosa said, adding that she works on ball handling, shooting — a lot of shooting, and a lot of different drills for movement on the court.

“I like that he encourages Isabella to recognize where her weaknesses are and make corrections on her own. I think the difference in her game is her confidence level and her ability on the court has changed dramatically over the years,” DeRosa said. “Before she worked with Coach Szela she was a little hesitant. Now, she’s not afraid to get up with anyone on the court. That confidence level, it helps with everything in life, from how to handle friendships to school work.”

Shane Black is a 16-year-old sophomore at Jupiter Christian School who has been working with Szela for five years.

“We learned about John when Shane was playing JTAA rec ball,” said Shane’s dad Joe. “John has done a phenomenal job with Shane, teaching him footwork and shooting form. I coached Shane’s travel team and middle school basketball. The one year, in sixth grade, he had a different coach, and the team was really bad. The next year, I leaned on John for advice when I became the travel team coach; and we had a winning season, and it was all because of John’s advice. Now, I defer to John when it comes to Shane’s basketball,” he said.

COACH’S JOURNEY

Szela began his journey as a basketball coach after playing high school and college basketball in Pennsylvania.

“I coached for three years at Misericordia University where I was also director of admission,” Szela said. “From there, I was director of admissions at Keystone College, also in Pennsylvania. But I realized I missed coaching basketball. I always had a passion for basketball and I just liked working with kids, so I started ProShot Basketball in 1989.”

Szela said it was an easy decision to start ProShot because he knew what he wanted to do, but admits it was difficult to start the business from zero. “I had to buy the property and make it into the basketball camp from something else, and that took two or three years.”

The goals of ProShot are not only to help the players master basketball skills and techniques, but to gain self-confidence at well.

“ProShot is for the beginner, average or advanced basketball player who tries to be the best they can be. It’s a small camp by design, and I have assistants who also work with the kids. It is an overnight camp, usually lasting three days, and I have players from Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and the surrounding areas who come to the camp,” Szela said.

BY THE NUMBERS

Some numbers reflect Szela’s success.

Since 1989, 76 ProShot players have been selected as all-state players; more than 70 have been named MVPs; Among his players, there are 114 high school 1000-point scorers and 12 kids who have scored 2000 points in their high school careers.

There is an entire list of players who have gone on to play college ball, some with scholarships.

On a local level, in 2011, Szela worked as the shooting and offensive skills coach at Dwyer High School, a team that won the state championship. He also worked with Jupiter Tequesta Athletic Association’s “Jupiter Jaguars” girls team as the skills coach.

That team was USSSA state champion three years in a row.

Szela said the most successful students have several things in common. “Desire is the most important,” he said, “and along with that, attention to detail. I look to see if they are coachable will they listen to directions. And, do they want to be the best player they can be.”

When Szela works with basketball players, whether it is at his camp or in Jupiter, he has the same techniques.

“I work with the player, to discover their strengths; and once I do that, I work to build their confidence,” he said.

“Also, patience is important. I’ve had kids who have struggled, and you have to be patient with them. We want to help them get better at the next level. If they are in elementary school, to improve to the middle school level and from middle school to then play high school; and hopefully, to play college ball.

MOST IMPORTANT

“But the most important thing I tell the kids is to have fun. I don’t want them to lose track of that,” Szela said.

“This is why I recommend they play multiple sports. I like them to play three or four sports in elementary school and as they get older, to play one or two other sports.

“I want them to take time off from basketball during the off season. I don’t think they should play year round. I’ve been doing this for 25 years. And if they don’t take time off, I see them burn out and quit in eighth or ninth grade. I want them to be better and play in 11th or 12th grade.”

McDowell says Szela’s ability to work with each player as an individual is an asset to his son, James.

“The first lesson that James had, John said to me that he had never seen a kid make so many shots and do so much wrong ... so he started James’ instruction from the ground up. James now is in seventh grade and he wants to play basketball in high school.

“My son is an unusual kid. Once he makes up his mind to do something, he can be a little hard on himself. Not only does John have tremendous knowledge, but he is able to tailor his instruction to the individual. We’ve had some lessons that I thought James was hard on himself, and John was able to turn that around and make James feel better and encourage him.”

INDIVIDUALITY

Joe Black likes Szela’s individuality when it comes to working with the players.

“He builds on stuff, and he has a great way of working with kids. He looks at each kid and sees the need and development ability,” Black said.

“For instance, because Shane is taller, he is in the post a lot, and so John worked on footwork. Most eighth-graders don’t have a jump shot, but John said absolutely he should learn this shot when he was in eighth grade. And he trained him to do it.”

Every player has a notebook, and each one is responsible for it. The notebook details the times for practice, the skills the player is working on and what his or her goals are.

“This year, the goal is in ball handling,” DeRosa said of his player.

“She’ll be playing more at point guard this year, and since there is another point guard on the team, she wants to be good enough to put in a lot of playing time. So John has her doing more dribbling drills, two ball drills, pivots and cuts.”

THAT’s LIFE

DeRosa said Szela not only teaches basketball but how to handle life situations.

“It is very competitive at the high school level, and I don’t think Isabella would have performed as well if not for John’s program,” DeRosa said.

McDowell says Szela’s influence can go beyond the basketball player he coaches individually each week in Jupiter.

“John is not just a basketball coach, he cares about these kids,” McDowell said.

“He is a good man who is knowledgeable about basketball. He makes us all feel better when we walk out of the practice session.”

As for Szela, he still looks at teaching basketball as fun. And he has fun himself, playing basketball.

A couple of years ago, he won the gold medal in the “Over-50 Basketball Competition” of the Palm Beach Gardens “Gardens Games,” sinking 29 of 30 shots from the foul line.

“It’s fun to be in these competitions and if I have free time. I still get into some local competitions,” Szela said. “But the most fun I have is working with all the different kids, meeting all different people, the parents, aunts and uncles and grandparents from different areas of the county.